mr.d Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 KINZUA SKY WALK – KINZUA BRIDGE STATE PARK One of the Top 10 Most Beautiful Skywalks in the World WALK THE TRACKS ACROSS THE SKY Selected as “One of the World’s Top 10 Most Beautiful Skywalks and Viewpoints in the World” by the Culture Trip, U.K. The Kinzua Sky Walk is an engineering marvel with breathtaking views of the Kinzua Gorge. Located at the Kinzua Bridge State Park in northwestern Pennsylvania, the skywalk was constructed on six of the historic Kinzua Viaduct massive steel towers remaining after the tornado of 2003. The Kinzua Viaduct was once the highest and longest railroad viaduct in the world. Due to COVID-19 precautions the Kinzua Bridge Visitors Center is currently closed. The Kinzua Sky Walk and trails are open. The Kinzua Sky Walk extends out 624 feet into the Kinzua Gorge offering panoramic views. The skywalk features a walkway with a set of railroad tracks leading to the end of the overlook which has a partial glass floor. At a stunning height of 225 feet above the valley floor, visiting the Kinzua Sky Walk is an exciting opportunity to “Walk the Tracks across the Sky.” Park amenities include forestland picnic areas, a park pavilion-available for rental, hiking trails and the new Kinzua Bridge State Park Visitors Center. The access road to the park is the Kinzua Bridge Scenic Byway a shared use road for bicycling. History of the Kinzua Viaduct Three documentary videos are available for purchase online: Tracks Across the Sky, Trains Across the Kinzua Bridge; The History of the Knox & Kane and B & O Railroads; as well as The Kinzua Bridge. The Kinzua Bridge Visitors Center is located at the edge of the Kinzua Gorge. Arriving at the entrance visitors are greeted by huge steel towers flanking the doorway. The new 11,000 sq. ft. building features two exhibit halls with displays showcasing the three E’s – Engineering, Energy and the Environment. The flagship PA Wilds Cooperative Artisan Shop features handcrafted and handmade items from the region. Modern classrooms welcome school groups and special functions. Online Educational Resource Guide Kinzua Bridge State Park Visitors Center – Mt. Jewett, PA Motorcoach groups are welcome! To reserve a group tour date, or to request a park staff guided tour or park program for motorcoach or school groups, please contact their office at: 814-778-5467 or register online. Other Group Tour Sites to Visit To Rent the Pavilion, use this Online Registration form. Driving Directions: Kinzua Bridge State Park is four miles north of US 6 at Mt. Jewett, Pennsylvania, on SR 3011. For Google GPS: the driving address is 296 Viaduct Road, Mt. Jewett, PA, 16740. GPS DD: N 41 degrees 45.078 W 78 degrees 34.846 Hours 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, 7 days a week. Closed Christmas Day & New Years Day. The Skywalk is open from 8 am to dusk. Admission is free to both the park and the Skywalk. Kinzua Bridge State Park – Kinzua Sky Walk – Kinzua Bridge Visitors Center Phone: 814-778-5467 E-mail: KinzuaBridgeSP@pa.gov View Larger Map Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conservativeman633 Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 That is also the site of a half marathon this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.d Posted July 15, 2020 Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 Despite derailment, McKean County railroad bridge stands tall DESTINATION PA by: Devin Jackson Posted: Jul 14, 2020 / 04:51 PM EDT / Updated: Jul 14, 2020 / 04:51 PM ED KANE, MCKEAN COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — The view on the Kinzua Bridge at the Kinzua Bridge State Park will stop people in their tracks. The bridge is just two hours north of Altoona, and sits 301 feet off the ground, with quite the history. “During 1881 and 1882, people found coal and other natural resources to the South, and they wanted to get them to market as quick as they could,” said Holly Dzemyan, Environmental Education Specialist for the Kinzua Bridge State Park. “They started laying rails up to this area.” General Thomas Kane, who was President of the New York Lake Erie and Western Coal Company, among others decided to build a railroad bridge through the Kinzua Valley, where the bridge sits now. When it was finished in 1882, it was the tallest and longest railroad bridge in the world. But by the 1900’s, it needed upgrades, in lieu of the Industrial Revolution. “In 1900, they decided to switch out the towers, because of the heaviness of the engines and the freight going across,” Holly said. “They changed the towers those original iron columns, Phoenix Columns, to the iron towers you see out there now.” Freight went across the bridge until 1959. Resources could be shipped alternate routes. During the 1960s, the state purchased the bridge and turned the area into a state park. The Park now is designated under the DCNR, otherwise known as the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. In 1986, the Knox and Kane Railroad began using the bridge as an excursion train business, until 2002, when a railroad inspector deemed the bridge unusable for trains. But everything changed during the summer of 2003. “An F1 Tornado came through the park, and took out the middle section of the bridge,” Holly said. “Nobody was on the bridge at the time, and nobody saw the bridge go down.” The bridge was damaged on approximately July 21, 2003. It was 2,053 feet long before the tornado tore half of it. Remains of the bridge. Despite the damage, the park wanted to preserve the bridge that remained, and built a deck, as well as a glass section to give people the feel of being that high up in the air. Holly says during its peak season, 10,000 people could come through on a given weekend. “We have visitors from other parts of Pennsylvania, we have visitors from other parts of the United States and we have visitors from other countries…all coming here to see the structure.” The park also features a hiking trail that goes beneath the bridge, as well as a exhibit to showcase its history. The Visitor Center for the park is open seven days a week during its peak season (which is until Thanksgiving) from 8am-6pm. The bridge is open daily from 8 am until dusk. For more information on the bridge, you can visit their website. SEE VIDEO REPORT ; https://www.wearecentralpa.com/destination-pa/despite-derailment-mckean-county-railroad-bridge-stands-tall/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubois_15801 Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 I finally got to visit that place late last year. I had to design a fiber circuit to the PA Wilds center within the park building. A few of the pics the old lady took while I was in the back measuring conduit and inspecting facilities. And one of me being goofy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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